C896
“Black Tower…”
Raon lowered his right hand holding the Heavenly Drive and narrowed his eyes.
“Are you serious?”
There were many speculations that the White Blood Religion was underground or that Eden’s headquarters was in the sky, but no one knew the exact location of the Five Demons. Among them, the Black Tower was especially shrouded in mystery, with not even its general direction known.
It was hard to believe that the Demonblade knew about a place that even Archmage Chamber of Eternal Flame had given up finding.
“I-I’m telling the truth!”
The Demonblade painfully raised his upper body and bit his lip.
“The ones who helped me complete this magic were from the Black Tower!”
He shook his head, insisting that he wasn’t lying.
“Wasn’t it Derus Robert?”
“Derus Robert? No. The one who came to me and said he would fill me with death energy stronger than my peak was a Floor Master of the Black Tower.”
The Demonblade raised his trembling hand, saying that a Floor Master of the Black Tower had gone directly to him with a proposal.
“They said they would prepare all the magic and asked for just one favor in return someday.”
He lowered his eyes as he spoke of the deal with the Black Tower.
“Black Tower…”
Raon nodded as he looked down at the trembling Demonblade.
“If it’s not Derus, then it must be the Black Tower.”
While the Black Tower’s master was a demonized human, there were many shamans and necromancers who used death energy, so it was entirely possible.
“Then how did you discover the Black Tower’s location?”
“I followed the Floor Master, thinking they might try to use me.”
The Demonblade swallowed and looked up.
“I was trying to find a weakness, but luckily, I discovered an area leading to the Black Tower’s headquarters.”
He nodded vigorously, saying that he had found a passage to the Black Tower.
“I-if you let me live and go, I’ll tell you where to enter the Black Tower.”
The Demonblade’s blackened lips trembled as if asking what Raon would do.
“Alright, I’ll let you live. Now speak.”
Raon nodded and instead approached the Demonblade.
“Hey, that’s the face of someone who absolutely won’t keep their promise!”
Wrath let out an exasperated sigh.
“And why is there a murderous intent when sparing someone’s life!”
He shook his head, wondering why Raon wasn’t acting like his usual self.
“Words won’t work anyway.”
Someone like the Demonblade would only open his mouth if there were conditions he could be sure of. Words alone would be useless.
“You dare to say such things with those murderous eyes.”
The Demonblade shook his head, letting out a low groan.
“Swear by the soul of Transcendent Raon Zieghart. Swear that you won’t kill me.”
He demanded a Soul Oath, his purple eyes bulging.
“Torturing me is useless! I’ve cast a spell that will erase my memories if the pain becomes unbearable! Even if I want to speak then, I won’t be able to!”
The Demonblade shook his head, saying that the only way to learn the Black Tower’s location was to let him live.
“A Soul Oath…”
Raon frowned, lowering his hand.
“To be a fool, he’s thought this through well.”
Wrath snorted, crossing his arms.
“Even for someone like you who breaks promises like breathing, a Soul Oath shouldn’t be taken lightly. It will have a significant impact on you.”
“In what way?”
“If it’s an oath made on the soul of a Transcendent, like he says, it will interfere with your martial prowess. You may not be able to grow stronger anymore. That’s why even this king doesn’t lie.”
He shook his head, saying that the higher the soul’s realm, the greater the impact.
“…Alright.”
Raon nodded, looking down at the Demonblade.
“If you tell me the location of the Black Tower, I will not kill you with my sword.”
“My sword, huh…?”
Wrath smiled, licking his lips.
“Correctly!”
The Demonblade shook his head firmly, still unable to believe it.
“Swear properly by your name.”
“I swear by the name of Transcendent Raon Zieghart. If you tell me the location of the Black Tower, I will not kill you with my sword and I will let you go.”
Raon placed his right hand over his chest and made the Soul Oath. Although he only uttered the words, he felt a cold sensation as if chains were wrapping around his soul.
“Then first, remove this sword.”
The Demonblade pointed at the Blade of Requiem piercing his chest, as if reminding him not to forget.
“Before that.”
Raon tilted his chin, looking at the Demonblade.
“You also swear. That the location of the Black Tower is real.”
“Of course.”
The Demonblade nodded as if he had nothing to hide.
“I swear by the name of Transcendent Dreg Royten that I will tell you the location of the Black Tower. If my words are false, I will live with these wounds for the rest of my life.”
His entire body glowed with a faint purple light. It seemed he had truly made a Soul Oath.
“Alright.”
Raon nodded and pulled the Blade of Requiem out of the Demonblade’s chest. The Blade of Requiem emitted a deep resonance as if asking why, but a green wind rose and calmed its vibration.
“Then, as I promised, I will tell you the location of the Black Tower.”
The Demonblade opened his blackened lips, looking at him.
“The Black Tower is in Montiro.”
“Montiro…?”
Raon frowned, repeating the name Montiro.
“Are you expecting me to believe you?”
Montiro was one of the southern cities. It was hard to believe that the Black Tower was in a city that, while hidden, was often used as a tourist destination due to its proximity to the sea.
“It’s true…”
The Demonblade shook his head as if it wasn’t a lie.
“I don’t know the exact path, but I’m sure the Black Tower exists in Montiro.”
“Tell me what happened.”
He wanted to hear what had happened, as words alone weren’t enough to believe.
“I’ve mastered a minor skill called Ashen Concealment. It’s neither death energy nor aura, but a technique that’s difficult to detect for anyone.”
The Demonblade licked his lips, wrapping his hand in gray energy.
“Using this concealment, I personally followed the Black Tower’s Floor Master. He changed his appearance and behavior several times in other cities and towns, but he couldn’t escape the eyes of someone like me who uses the same death energy.”
He nodded and explained the situation of tracking the Floor Master.
“After countless detours, the place he finally stopped at was Montiro. At first, I thought he would change his appearance again like in other towns, but this time he completely disappeared. As if he had never been in Montiro, his very existence was erased.”
The Demonblade clenched his trembling fingers into a fist.
“I waited for days, but nothing strange was felt in the town. Just when I thought I had lost him and was about to leave, the Floor Master appeared again. This time with another demonized human whose aura I recognized.”
He nodded, looking at Raon.
“I was convinced that the Black Tower was hidden in Montiro and began a very slow search, eventually finding a small passage. It was only possible because I deal with death energy. But I couldn’t use that passage.”
“What do you mean you couldn’t use it?”
“That passage had a spell that didn’t accept outsiders. If I had forced my way through, it was obvious that my identity would be revealed, so I gave up.”
The Demonblade let out a short sigh, saying that he had only confirmed the Black Tower’s location before returning.
“Who was the Floor Master you were following?”
“It’s Bathortan, one of the higher Floor Masters. He’s the one shrouded in demonic energy similar to thorns all over his body. I haven’t seen him since the second time he appeared.”
“Where did you find the passage?”
“It’s on Soben Street, where they sell street food. I found it in an alley, but since it only opens when they’re out, it’ll be difficult to find for you without death energy.”
“…”
Raon narrowed his eyes, looking at the Demonblade who had finished speaking.
“It doesn’t seem like a lie.”
It didn’t seem like the Demonblade, who valued himself above all else, would lie after making a Soul Oath. While Montiro was an unexpected location, he had a feeling that the Black Tower might be there precisely because of that.
“It seems you’ve realized that my words are true.”
The Demonblade let out a low sigh, as if he was relieved.
“Then let me go.”
He struggled to get to his feet, telling Raon to keep his promise.
“Sure.”
Raon nodded and took a step back.
“…”
The Demonblade briefly licked his lips, seeing this.
“Do you think I don’t know what you’re thinking?”
It was clear that Raon Zieghart wouldn’t let him go, but would call his subordinates waiting behind to attack together.
“Even if I’m severely injured and have lost my death energy…”
He still had one last move. If he drew out the death energy hidden in his heart, he could create a spell to kill Raon’s subordinates and escape while Raon was off guard.
“Well, then…”
As the Demonblade was about to turn his back, contemplating how to survive, Raon approached.
“W-what are you trying to do! You clearly said you wouldn’t kill me!”
“Of course, I will keep my promise.”
Raon nodded, dropping the Heavenly Drive and the Blade of Requiem on the ground.
“Don’t tell me you’re thinking of hitting me with your hands because you promised with your sword? Such a childish thought?”
The Demonblade twisted his lips into a sneer.
“Do you think there’s such a loophole in a Soul Oath?! The very intent of attacking me with the will to kill is breaking the oath!”
He shouted that Raon was stupid, his eyes widening.
“Don’t worry. It’s not like that.”
Raon shook his head with a slight smile.
“Wrath.”
He gestured to Wrath, who was frowning.
“It might be a burden, but could I ask you for just one finger?”
“I don’t care about the burden! I’ve been wanting to kill this trash who sacrifices his subordinates with my own hands!”
Wrath nodded fiercely, as if he had been waiting for this.
“You understand well. If you finish this well, I’ll let you eat whatever you want for another ten days.”
Saying that he would buy whatever Wrath wanted to eat, Raon relaxed his right hand. Wrath’s anger, which had always only conveyed his power, now seeped between his fingers with a deep and intense will. The index finger of his right hand. The existence of the Demon King of Wrath dwelled in that finger.
“T-think carefully! If you touch me, an unremovable curse will befall you for the rest of your life!”
“I don’t think so.”
As Raon calmly shook his head, the finger inhabited by Wrath rose on its own to point at the Demonblade.
“I said I wouldn’t kill you with my sword. The one killing you isn’t me, but a completely different entity.”
The moment he uttered those words, the tip of his index finger glowed and fired a silver light towards the Demonblade.
“Eek!”
The Demonblade tried to block the icy light with the death energy that appeared out of nowhere. But the silver frost shattered the death energy and the Demonblade’s hand into shards of ice before it began to freeze his body.
“Aaaaargh!”
The Demonblade let out a piercing scream as he watched his body slowly freeze. It seemed he was in even greater pain than when his arms were cut off or his flesh and bones were torn apart.
“What did you just do?”
“It’s a method of torture called Clothes of the Snow Ghost.”
Wrath licked his lips for a while.
“Even if it gives him frostbite, he won’t lose his feeling and will feel endless pain as if his flesh is being torn off.”
He frowned, saying that a leader who doesn’t value his subordinates deserves the pain of hell.
“T-this intense cold! Don’t tell me you and that blue Demon King…!”
The Demonblade twisted his eyes as if he had just realized Wrath’s existence.
“Urgh, if you had the power of the Demon King, you could have erased my magic and opened my mouth through torture, then why did you make an oath!”
He trembled his jaw as if asking why Raon hadn’t tried to open his mouth through torture.
“This is faster.”
Raon calmly shook his chin.
“What?”
“Torture is troublesome and takes a long time, but this way I can get your answer immediately.”
Although the Demonblade looked ugly now, he was one of the few Transcendants in the world. If he had erased the magic and tried to open his mouth through torture, it would have taken at least half a day, so he chose the faster path.
“Ah…”
The Demonblade trembled completely, as if he feared Raon more than the Demon King Wrath.
“I-I can’t die here. Absolutely not…”
He began to use magic with his remaining death energy, as if trying to escape somehow. His will to live was terribly strong.
“Beast.”
Wrath sneered and snapped his fingers. The speed of the silver frost increased suddenly, freezing the Demonblade’s mouth, eyes, and even the flickering death energy. Everything about him was trapped in the silver frost.
“This beast doesn’t even deserve to breathe anymore.”
As Wrath lowered his finger, the Demonblade shattered like grains of sand and sank into the broken ground. The dust that was once the Demonblade trembled as if it felt extreme pain and terror until the end.
“It’s over.”
Wrath snorted and removed the soul dwelling in his finger.
“Ugh, to think there would be such a negative reaction just from this…”
He massaged his body while letting out a big groan. Seeing him even break out in a cold sweat, it seemed the strain was truly significant. When Wrath left, the feeling returned to his finger. Strangely, it felt warm instead of cold.
“You did well.”
Raon patted Wrath on the head while he was breaking out in a cold sweat.
“I-it’s not because of your request, but because I was angry that he sacrificed his subordinates!”
Wrath shook his head, gasping and saying he had just vented his anger.
“And…”
“And?”
“You’ll keep your promise, right?”
“Of course.”
Raon nodded with a smile.
“Tell me what you want to eat for a week….”
“It’s ten days! Fraud!”
Wrath shook his head vigorously, remembering the promise even in his state of exhaustion.
“Right, right.”
As Raon smiled and lowered his hand, he heard rough footsteps from behind.
“Division Leader!”
“Raon!”
“Are you alright…?”
Burren, Martha, and Runaan, who had been told to stay behind, rushed over, realizing that the situation was over. Their eyes were filled with great concern.
“I’m fine. It’s all over.”
Raon shook the blood off the Heavenly Drive and the Blade of Requiem and stood up.
“Did you really defeat the Demonblade?”
“To think you caught one of the Five Divine Orders, it’s hard to believe even seeing it…”
Martha and Burren let out hollow laughs, still incredulous.
“I believed in you…”
Runaan gave him a thumbs up, as if he truly trusted him.
“I knew it would happen someday, but to achieve it so quickly…”
Trevin bit his lip as he looked at the shards of ice that were once the Demonblade.
“Times are truly changing.”
He let out a deep exclamation as he turned his gaze to Raon.
“That’s too grand… Ugh!”
Raon smiled and waved his hand, then grabbed his abdomen.
“The death energy is stirring again.”
When the battle ended, Askara’s Fighting Spirit disappeared, and the remaining death energy in his body began to riot. Just as he was about to forcefully endure it, a soft light and wind rose from the Blade of Requiem and began to absorb the remaining death energy in his body.
The Blade of Requiem, after completely devouring the death energy that had been tormenting him, emitted a great resonance as if it was satisfied.
“G-thank you.”
Raon nodded slightly, looking at the Blade of Requiem. The Blade of Requiem emitted a faint resonance as if it was nothing.
“After the Master’s soul entered, it seems…”
Its own will seems to have become stronger. Originally, the Blade of Requiem had its own will, but after Rimmer’s soul entered, that will seemed to have become even stronger.
“I really don’t know what you’re thinking.”
“Urgh.”
As Raon shook his head, thinking about Rimmer, Wrath began to tremble completely, just as Raon had done before.
“What’s wrong? Are you having side effects too…?”
No matter how much of a Demon King Wrath was, using only his soul form to affect the outside world must consume a lot of power and soul. It seemed that the side effects were greater than he had thought.
“It’s coming.”
Wrath said something was coming while his lips trembled.
“The pain?”
“No! He! The worst existence in this world is coming!”
The moment he spread his hands, grinding his teeth, blue messages appeared before Raon’s eyes.
[You have achieved a great feat.]
[You have ended an era.]
[All skills…]
[Traits…]
What appeared wasn’t the worst existence in the world, but the rewards obtained for defeating the Demonblade.
“I can tell even by intuition now! This damn system!”
Wrath shook his head, screaming in rage.
‘….’
Raon looked at Wrath with cold eyes.
“Don’t look at me with those eyes! If you were stripped of even your fur, you’d be like this king! Aaaaargh! Why are there so many today! Isn’t this too much?!”
‘….’
Raon’s eyes grew colder as he looked down.
“I said don’t look at me like that!”
-
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